The right is weirdly gleeful about the end of the mask mandate

Written By: - Date published: 6:59 am, September 14th, 2022 - 40 comments
Categories: chris bishop, covid-19, health, human rights, national, same old national - Tags:

So the mask mandate is mostly gone.

The right have celebrated it happening which is quite weird.  Was it an existential attack on New Zealanders fundamental rights or was it something that was quite a good thing to do in the midst of a global pandemic and something that was strongly recommended by medical experts?

I did something that I do not recommend.  I went to Kiwiblog and read David Farrar’s take on the issue, as well as that of the commentators.

Notable Public Health expert Cameron Slater said this in response to the suggestion that we should store them away rather than burn them:

I’d have to get one to do that. Never worn a mask, ever.

Former ACT leader and perk buster unless it related to his girlfriend Rodney Hide said this in a response to Wayne Mapp suggesting people in Devonport were still wearing masks:

Hi Wayne

I am sure it is wonderful on the Shore.

And while it is good to jog along following the law every now and then – – as a very wise man once observed – – it is necessary to rise up and reject the tyrants who would lord it over us much to the discomfort of those living upon the Shore.

Not wearing a mask. Not getting the jab. Camping at Parliament.

Revolutionary acts by heroes.

One of the commenters thought that Sweden’s approach was optimal.

The data would suggest otherwise.

When someone else pointed out to her that Sweden had per head of population tens of thousands of more deaths their comment was voted down.

There were lots of derogatory descriptions, “cindy muzzles” and “face nappies” being two.

The comments were almost all relentlessly negative.  And hard to reconcile with the reality that our Covid response has been one of the best in the world.  The opinions were strong and almost all focused on the slight inconvenience masks caused to the individual concerned, rather than the collective good.  Which says a lot about the right wing mind set.

The antipathy to masks is weird.  Face masks have served a very important function.  I can understand removal of the mandate but there should be a big publicity drive extolling the benefits of wearing them.  I for one will continue to wear a mask on public transport.

National MPs also celebrated the removal of the mandate with weird levels of glee.

Politics tends to be a process of triangulation.  Government puts up proposition X, opposition puts up proposition Y and the sweet spot in terms of where most of the public get to is somewhere in the middle.

Where the opposition puts up an absurd position Y which has no support from the medical profession aka people who actually know what they are talking about and instead seek to adopt positions that Cameron Slater and Rodney Hide agree with, then  as it settles the final position will be somewhere between an ok position and a position that only fringe lunatics would adopt.

National’s turning this into a further battle of the culture wars is frankly weird and does us all a disservice.

40 comments on “The right is weirdly gleeful about the end of the mask mandate ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Muttonbird 1
    14 September 2022 at 8:25 am

    I imagine Cameron Slater is a permanent shut in so perhaps has never had the need for a face mask. He may also have had an exemption because he's too fat.

    The push by the political right to frame mask wearing as a signalling of leftie political persuasion (rather than protecting yourself and those around you) is both pathetic and dangerous. HADP suggested this on her troll drive show the other day, and I believe Jester who comments here repeated the bizarre, politicised claim.

    The slightly more moderate Kerre Woodham was open to the idea people wore masks for accepted scientific and ethical reasons, like protecting oneself from health and financial harm, and showing courtesy and value towards others.

    What a much better world it would be if everyone took this approach, and if politicians, broadcasters and bloggers encouraged rather than discouraged it.

  2. Robert Guyton 2
    14 September 2022 at 8:38 am

    Weird?

    How so?

    It's natural for Jacinda-haters to reject any action she "forces them to take" and celebrate their new freedom from her dictatorship.

  3. Sanctuary 3
    14 September 2022 at 8:46 am

    Rodney Hide is a publically announced and fully paid up member of VFF so f*ck that stupid old prick right up the ass. Simeon Browne seems to spend most of his time on Twitter auditioning to be NZ's version of Majorie Taylor-Greene, he is a far right fundy drop kick who should never be let anywhere near government. Slater? Farrar? Yesterday's slimeballs of marginal relevance in 2022.

    There is a story that goes that the Sasanian Empire, who ruled Persia from the early 3rd to the mid 7th centuries, desperately wished to be seen as the inheritors of the Persian empire destroyed by Alexander. Unfortunately, there was the inconvenience of the 400 years of the intervening Parthian Empire to deal with. So the Sassinads just pretended the Parthians never existed, to the point of changing all the dates to account for the 400 year gap and never mentioning them again.

    There is more than an element of the Sasanian in the right's response to the end of the mask mandates. Their response is profoundly revanchist. Not only do the reactionary right want to put the genie of the big state back in the bottle, they desperately want to pretend the last two years never happened. Masks are a reminder of the ideological nightmare of big government working, and working well, on behalf of the people. They want to see a return of the dominance and celebration of the hyper-individualised selfish arsehole, of which they proudly regard themselves as standard bearers. They are cosplay Thatcherites who want a return to the days of their Persian Darius, the era of Douglas, Richardson and Brash.

    • AB 3.1
      14 September 2022 at 9:27 am

      Masks are a reminder of the ideological nightmare of big government working, and working well, on behalf of the people

      Absolutely. I believe they were really rattled by it, and are now pulling every lever they can to erase that memory. Not so much their own memory, because they are remorselessly ideological and know what they are doing, but the public's.

  4. PsyclingLeft.Always 4
    14 September 2022 at 8:58 am

    Of course Luxon,Seymour and all their (aider/abettors) are going to be blowing their dogwhistles for all their worth. The RW desperately need to appeal where they can. (Luxons reluctant and s l o w rebuff of Bish Bri)

    So touting themselves as mask free..was always a given (and in kinda a 1984 ref..were/weren't they always so? )

    Anyway..I’ll go with the Experts . Epidemiologists Prof Rod Jackson and Prof Michael Baker

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/474633/reactions-mixed-as-covid-19-traffic-light-system-comes-to-an-end

    Such Sensible Guys And yes, (APART from Hospitals, Rest Homes, Dr Surgery's etc) like them,I also feel should still be applicable on planes, trains, buses and where close confined.

  5. Shanreagh 5
    14 September 2022 at 9:23 am

    Bearing in mind that mask wearing is/was for one’s own good and the good of society I have always had a great deal of difficulty understanding, let alone accepting as a valid view, the anti mask wearing brigade. I am sure that the same people would mostly always fasten their seat belts or drive on the correct side of the road, send their children to school etc. Such a simple, safe move.

    Like much anti rhetoric at the current time I am convinced that the anti-maskers are driven by misogyny as there is/was no rationale views to oppose mask wearing as part of a suite of moves. I will continue to wear a mask as the circumstances dictate eg public transport, crowded indoor locations.

    Weird

    Makes circling movement near my ear.

    • Anne 5.1
      14 September 2022 at 7:30 pm

      … the anti-maskers are driven by misogyny…

      Irrational hatred born out of a lack of intelligence and mindless/stupid ideology.

      The circle movement near your ear is highly appropriate.

    • Hanswurst 5.2
      14 September 2022 at 10:25 pm

      […] the anti-maskers are driven by misogyny […].

      Could well be, but I don't think it's as easy a conclusion as that, since the same sentiments are to be found in parts of the world with no comparable figure to Jacinda Ardern.

  6. joe90 6
    14 September 2022 at 9:26 am

    as well as that of the commentators.

    This is our clubhous!
    No girlz allowed to tell us what to do!!
    We declare that weez rule!!!

    Fucking performative claptrap from children.

    /

  7. roblogic 7
    14 September 2022 at 9:48 am

    The media and the Opposition are teaming up to portray politics as some kind of WWE wrestling match and commentators are just mad partisans alternately cheering or jeering their team.

    We are poorly served by this form of infotainment churnalism.

    Of course the Nactoids and VFF are gonna claim it's a "win" for their idiotic crusade against public health. It would be nice if the media held their bullshit to account instead of spreading it enthusiastically. But most media outlets do not have any moral compass or intellectual depth.

    Who cares about issues? We want a 10-second zinger from someone, Seymour is usually good for clickbait.

  8. Drowsy M. Kram 8
    14 September 2022 at 10:11 am

    Great post and comments. The current pandemic has provided an opportunity to educate Kiwis about the societal and individual health benefits of physical distancing, getting vaccinated, and mask-wearing – benefits already well understood in some countries.

    Mask-Wearing Perception of Preschool Children in Korea during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study [11 Sept 2022; PDF]
    Results showed that children were aware of the need to wear a mask to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus, and they perceived it as necessary and a good thing.

    Oh, that those leaping on the "you can't tell me what to do" bandwagon could understand that pathogens don't 'care' about human freedums – they simply exploit the weaknesses that human exceptionalism provides, including the (imho) weird notion that individual freedums are more important than the lives of fellow citizens. The "Cumulative confirmed COVD-19 deaths per million people" graph is informative in this regard.

    So the next time a small-minded group like VFF tries to con Kiwis about vaccines or masks, ask how their views dovetail with initiatives to decrease inequality – maybe they just want to thin out the numbers during subsequent COVID waves?

    How COVID has deepened inequality — in six stark graphics [22 June 2022]
    Troubling data show how the pandemic has exacted an unequal toll, pushing tens of millions into poverty and having the greatest effects on already-disadvantaged groups.

    • PsyclingLeft.Always 8.1
      14 September 2022 at 10:28 am

      maybe they just want to thin out the numbers during subsequent COVID waves?

      Hmmm sadly knowing their close association and acceptance of such naz….fascis… supremac….as Arps and ilk, maybe not a plan B..but a derivative : Plan Z ..yklon B .

      All very Hypothetical..of course !

  9. psych nurse 9
    14 September 2022 at 10:29 am

    I'm sure the right would be the first to complain if their Surgeon operated mask-less with blood encrusted ungloved hands in an old smoking jacket. After all what would scientific knowledge know. And think of the savings to be made on sterilized equipment.

    • PsyclingLeft.Always 9.1
      14 September 2022 at 10:37 am

      lol…indeed. However I'm sure Lux de Luxe and fellow RW Elite..will have their Private Health care well sterilized if not…gold plated : )

      • Patricia Bremner 9.1.1
        14 September 2022 at 12:11 pm

        yesdevil Comment of the day. It is all Freedumb from them, and they prefer Private Hospitals and the Insurance model, which most of us could not afford or access.

        • PsyclingLeft.Always 9.1.1.1
          14 September 2022 at 1:48 pm

          Cheers, Patricia. We must keep fighting for NZ's Future. Because nact will have us transported back to the 90's pronto

        • Descendant Of Smith 9.1.1.2
          14 September 2022 at 7:43 pm

          Bearing in mind of course their heart attacks on the operating table and many of their botch-ups end up in public hospitals for fixing as well.

          Private only does a limited range of profitable surgeries – and kick you out faster than public.

          Private has its place – mainly to stop the well-off contaminating the working class.

          • joe90 9.1.1.2.1
            14 September 2022 at 8:19 pm

            many of their botch-ups end up in public hospitals for fixing as well.

            My brother's FIL was referred to the public system for knee replacement surgery because of anticipated complications. Dog only knows how much was squandered trying to get him in shape to undergo surgery but finally they flagged him; too heavy, too many co-morbidities. So of course he did what a member of the landed squatocracy would do and trotted off to the big smoke and found someone who said yes to a bilateral jobbie.

            It didn't go well and after a long stay in a public CCU, he died.

            • Descendant Of Smith 9.1.1.2.1.1
              14 September 2022 at 8:45 pm

              Sorry to hear that.

              Heard a similar story yesterday about a friends husband who went private for a hip replacement and ending up spending a few months in a public CCU as well. He, thankfully didn't die, but is not happy with the lack of care from his private hospital.

              I know Middlemore fixes quite a few botched cosmetic surgery cases – especially face ones as thy can be quite psychologically debilitating.

              I'm not opposed to private hospitals as they take pressure off the public ones but I think that should have to report frequently about referrals back to the public hospitals. You know do some of those stats/scorecard/target things the right wing is so fond of.

              • joe90 …
                14 September 2022 at 9:09 pm

                His original private provider knew the how perilous surgery would be, hence the referral to the public system. But he was an entitled man who thought that despite being declined for medical reasons, he had the money so he should and could have exactly what he wanted. So he shopped around until he found someone happy to put their hand out.

  10. SPC 10
    14 September 2022 at 1:47 pm

    It's simple really, the National Party branch of the haves see restraint on themselves for the sake of others as alien to their political philosophy.

  11. Peter 11
    14 September 2022 at 1:47 pm

    I'd hoped when I read about his bankruptcy and his stroke we'd hear nothing more from Cameron Slater.

    It was said Slayer was "severely incapacitated" from a stroke. Any stroke he had he suffered was not as drastic as his other incapacities which sees him inflicting in the whole world. He is entitled to them of course and use them as he wishes.

    The sad thing is of course is that there are intellectual midgets who see him as some sort of guru.

  12. Incognito 12
    14 September 2022 at 2:08 pm

    The Right’s aversion to face masks and the negative emotions these stir up are on par with its kneejerk response to gang patches and its hatred of beneficiaries and others who might find themselves in need of (temporary) support & assistance from the state. It is not rational or reasonable, but some kind of basic instinct and feral behaviour.

    • Patricia Bremner 12.1
      14 September 2022 at 5:17 pm

      yesdevil and they think masks identify us haha, so many telling knee jerks from them.

    • Hanswurst 12.2
      14 September 2022 at 9:19 pm

      Indeed. It is logically inconsistent for them to advocate for the freedom not to wear a mask, the exercising of which demonstrably causes direct harm, while also advocating for curtailing the freedom to sport a gang patch, a practice that causes no direct harm whatsoever.

  13. Barfly 13
    14 September 2022 at 3:39 pm

    Right Wingers fighting to the end for their rights to endanger other peoples lives.

    The RW politicians are purely transactional – if I can get more votes for supporting something than I lose for supporting it I'm in – be it eating babies or kicking puppies.

  14. mpledger 14
    14 September 2022 at 6:45 pm

    As had been said – wearing a mask is an IQ test… but I think it’s also an EQ test.

  15. Hanswurst 15
    14 September 2022 at 9:25 pm

    Considering that mask-wearing to prevent the community spread of disease is a long-established practice in East Asia, one that, in Western society, was consistently derided as an illogical and unproven cleanliness fetishism until someone actually bothered to test it, I'm inclined to believe that many people's resistance to it is rooted in the NIH sentiments of the unreconstructed, reflexively racist shithead.

  16. Chris 16
    15 September 2022 at 10:02 am

    The more national party people publicise the fact their politics share basic principles with neo-fascist rabbit-holers the better.

  17. Craig H 17
    15 September 2022 at 11:58 am

    After over 2 years of a successful, internationally-acclaimed Covid response including testing, vaccines and mandates, masks, gathering limits, distancing and other restrictions, MIQ, financial support and various other temporary measures which collectively avoided the deaths of thousands of New Zealanders, the government kept their promise of winding back restrictions and mandates.

  18. Tom Hunter 18
    15 September 2022 at 2:11 pm

    Only Right-Wingers? So I gather from these comments that none of you felt any sense of freedom at all with these announcements? Or worse, perhaps a sense of oppression from the now maskless?

    Anyway, watch this video of little kids jumping for joy in Las Vegas early this year when they’re told they don’t have to wear masks anymore..

    Are they nascent Righties?

    • roblogic 18.1
      15 September 2022 at 2:33 pm

      It's the triumphal glee and political grandstanding over a public health measure that is the domain of the rabble-rousing Right, acting as though it is a tyranny to have to actually think about other people for a change.

    • Incognito 18.2
      15 September 2022 at 3:20 pm

      Are they nascent Righties?

      Are gleeful Righties like little kids in Las Vegas?

    • pat 18.3
      15 September 2022 at 3:52 pm

      Shame on you…if you felt a smidgen of relief you are obviously a right wing nazi

  19. Mike the Lefty 19
    16 September 2022 at 7:23 am

    The political right are always good at taking credit for doing nothing, so no surprises there.

    In practical terms, mandates for mask wearing were barely functioning by the end. As time went by mask wearing became less and less until it was really only shops, public transport, government buildings (inc. hospitals) that enforced it, and the enforcement was not always consistent.

    It would have been pretty pointless to continue it except for obvious situations like hospitals and rest homes where you have lots of vulnerable people. Mask wearing had gradually ceased to be a necessary part of COVID response and had turned into little more than a bloody nuisance.

    But at least Jacinda and the government can legitimately claim that they ended the mandates when THEY decided it was right, not when the rabid right wanted it.

    So Hosking and the rest of the self-imagined political right messiahs can go stick their heads up a dead bear's bum – people with at least a bit of gumption don't need these arrogant jerks to tell them what to do.

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  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • “Feel good” school is out
    Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
    Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy. Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    3 days ago

  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago

  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Streamlining Building Consent Changes
    The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.      “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
    Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.  “Every day, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.    “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
    Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service.  It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
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